The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland is warning of phony sweepstakes as its been getting about 10 reports a week from consumers who say they're suspicious after being told they've won something. In most cases, the BBB said they should be. Kai Reed reports.

I ALREADY CHECKED MINE FIVE TIMES. INTERNET CONSUMER ALERT, MOST PEOPLE LOVE TO BE TOLD THEY HAVE WON SOMETHING BUT BEWARE OF PHONY SWEEPSTAKES THAT WILL NOT DO ANYTHING BUT REVIEW OFF. WE HAVE DETAILS ON A WARNING ABOUT SWEEPSTAKES SCAM ARTISTS. THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU OF GREATER MARYLAND IS REPORTING UP TO 10 CALLS A WEEK FROM CONSUMERS WHO SAY THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE ONE, BUT THEY ARE SUSPICIOUS. NI MOST CASES, THEY SHOULD BE. DO YOU EVER DREAM OF GETTING ONE OF THOSE BIG CHECKS FROM PUBLISHERS CLEARINGHOUSE? THEY TEASE AT THE POSSIBILITY OF A BIG PAYDAY. TUESDAY'S MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT WAS WORTH $400 MILLION. OF COURSE, THERE IS THAT HOPE AND DESIRE. YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE THE LOTTERY THAT WE JUST HAD. EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE A WINNER. SO THAT'S BEEN ON PEOPLE'S MINDS. SCAM ARTISTS KNOW THIS. BARNETT SAYS THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU HAS RECEIVED A HUGE INCREASED IN CALLS FROM CONSUMERS WHO THINK THEY HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY A BOGUS SWEEPSTAKES BY MAIL OR BY PHONE. ALL THE ONES RECENTLY REPORTED TO BBB, THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR BANK INFORMATION. THEY ARE SAYING, YOU HAVE ONE A SWEEPSTAKES. WE WANT TO DEPOSIT THE CHECK INTO YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. SO GIVE US YOUR ROUTING NUMBER. IN OTHER CASES, IT IS A LETTER CLAIMING YOU HAVE ONE BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY $19.99 TO COLLECTORS WHO STAKES PRIZE. THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION REPORTS THAT PRIZE SWEEPSTAKES AND LOTTERY FRAUD WAS THE SIXTH MOST REPORTED TYPE OF FRAUD IN MARYLAND LAST YEAR. THERE WERE MORE REPORTED CASES IN CREDIT CARD FRAUD. YOUR BOTTOM LINE IS -- WHAT IS UNIFORM IN ALL SWEEPSTAKES SCAMS IS YOU NEVER HAVE TO PAY TO RECEIVE THE SWEEPSTAKES. BY FEDERAL REGULATIONS, IT MUST BE FREE. THERE MUST BE NO CONDITIONS IN THE SWEEPSTAKES SUCH AS PURCHASING SOMETHING. ACCORDING TO BARNETT, THE INCREASE IN CONSUMER COMPLAINTS SEEM TO CORRELATE WITH AN INCREASE OF SWEEPSTAKES ADVERTISING SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. THE REAL PUBLISHERS CLEARINGHOUSE WEBSITE INCLUDES A WARNING AND FIGHTING -- ADVISING PEOPLE TO WATCH OVER BOGUS CALLS, LETTERS AND TEXT MESSAGES. NOW SOME OF THE SCAMS FALSELY CLAIM TO BE THE REAL PUBLISHERS CLEARINGHOUSE. OTHERS SAY THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES COMPANY. ACCORDING TO THE BBB, THE VICTIMS ARE NOT TARGETED, ALTHOUGH THE SCAM CALLS ARE PLACED DURING THE DAY WHEN